Improvement in portable conveyers for earth



a. u. BIRD.

Portable Conveyors for Earth.

N. 14 05 Fate'ntedlan.13,l874.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

-GEOItG-E M. BIRD, OF DEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE CONVEVERS FOR EARTH.

Specification forming I'fllt of Letters Patent No. 146,305, dated January 13, 1874; application filed November 28, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. BIRD, of Dedham, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Conveyportable conveyers for earth, gravel, &c., consisting in the employment of a portable head or frame, provided with a suitable chain-wheel, that is set in rotary motion by means of any ordinary power. A secondary frame provided with a loose-runnin g chain-wheel is to be placed opposite the power-wheel, and an endless belt, chain, or its equivalent, connects the aforesaid two chain-wheels. A number of scoops or barrows, or their equivalents, areconnected or hooked to the endless chain, and as the latter is set in motion, the scoops or barrows are dragged on the ground, conveying earth,- gravel, &c., from the place where the looserunning chain-wheel, is located to the powerwheel, or vice versa, and, after being emptied by an operator, are dragged back to the looserunning chain-wheel, where another operator pushes the forward end of each scoop or barrow in the ground, and each scoop or barrow is then easily filled as soon as the endless chain commences to drag the scoop or barrow forward. The scoops may be made with or without wheels, and may be made with or without detachable ends, as may be practicable. This my invention is intended for the purpose of removing earth, gravel, &c., from one place to another, for leveling surfaces, raising banks, filling flats, or for any other purpose requiring the removal of earth, &c.

Onthe drawing, Figurel represents a ground plan'of my invention, and Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same.

Similar letters refer to similar parts when ever they occur on the diiferent parts of the drawings.

or represents a portable head or frame, that serves as a support and bearing for the driving-shaft I), provided with a crank, c, or its equivalent, by means of which, and a suitable power, a rotary motion is given to the said shaft b. A chainwheel, d, is secured to the shaft b, and moves with it as the shaft is rotated. The chain-wheel d is provided with a number of teeth, 0 e e,'in the usual manner, so as to prevent the chain from slipping on the wheel d as it is rotated. A secondary hearing or frame, f, supports a' loose-running wheel, g, over which and the driving'wheel d an endless belt, rope, or chain, h, is conducted. -To

tor, who simply tips the forward end of each scoop or barrow in the earth, gravel, 850., when it gets easily filled as soon as the endless chain h commences to pull the scoop or barrow for ward.

If. so required, the scoops or barrows may be detached from the'endless chain h at one or both ends of the stroke, and attached to said chain after being emptied or filled.

The frames or supports a and f may be secured to the ground or to suitableplatforms, in any desired way, according to the nature of the material that is to be conveyed.

If the scoops are to work partially under water, the supports a and f, one or both, may be secured to suitable rafts, boats, or scows anchored to the bottom in the ordinary way. Under certain conditions it may also be practicable to place the chain-wheels d and g in a vertical position instead of the horizontal one shown in the drawing. The scoop k is shown as being provided with a handle, I, by means .of which it can be easily operated, for the purpose of filling and emptying. The said scoop.

k is also shown as being provided with wheels or rollers m m, for the purpose of relieving the friction between the scoop and the ground as the scoop is dragged forward. The scoop i is shown with its rear end a movable around a suitable hinge, and held in its proper place on the scoop by means of a spring, 0, or similar supports or frames 60 and f, or the manner in which they are to be secured, as this depends very much on the locality and the nature of the material that is to be conveyed from one place to another.

Having thus fully described the nature, construction, and operation of my invention, 1 wish to secure by Letters Patent, and clai1n A portable conveyer for earth, gravel, 830., consisting of the portable supports af, chain, rope, or belt drums cl 9, endless chain h, and a number of scoops or barrows, z k, for the purpose as herein set forth and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereuntoset my hand this 17th day of November, 1873.

GEORGE M. BIRD.

Witnesses:

ALBAN ANDREN, GEORGE E. PHELPS. 

